Wolf-Injured Cattle Dog, Scooter, Update

Early this month during the thick of the Grizzly Bear Complex fire that burned on both sides of the Southeast Washington-Northeast Oregon border. Troy, Oregon rancher Buck Matthews best working cow dog — a Border Collie-Kelpie cross named Scooter was viciously attacked by a wolf while in the family’s yard. Apparently, the wolf grabbed Scooter by the neck and shoulders and then shook him so hard that he had a lot of muscle and tissue damage to his back. I visited with Matthews recently to check in on Scooter and how he was doing.
Matthews: “Scooter — he has a rough go. Boy, he still can’t get up very good. He is on the porch. I think he is going to make it but he has still been real sore for quite a long time now. He is still on antibiotics and pain killers. Every morning when I leave he definitely whines and sometimes he howls at me. He doesn’t like be left behind.”
The fact that the wolf came into Matthews yard is very concerning especially since he has young three children. I asked if there would be Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife funds to compensate for Scooter’s injuries.
Matthews: “We met with Susan Roberts — our County Commissioner — and she said there should be some. Actually the community has been great — there were several donations at the vet clinic for the vet bill.”